Depth gauge and lifting mechanism for frames



Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,412

- E. M. CQLE DEPTH GAUGE AND LIFTING MECHANISM FOR FRAMES Filed J1 11y9. 1926 2 Sheets-SW6?,- l

LJ *oo* mit @Md-T v Dec. 27Y 1927. 1,654,412

\ E. M. co|.|:

DEPTH GAUGEAND LIFTING MECHANISM FOR FRAMES Filed Ju1y9, 192e 2 Smets-Sheet 2 57@ .4; (ak/gmk? A 2% l am? Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

D" T ATES 1,654,412 PATENT o-Fricr..

EUGENE' M.' COLE, 0F CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

IllTFlIiY GAUGE. ANI) LIFTING MECHANISM FOR FRAMES.

Application filed July 9,

means for easily, quick-ly., rigidly simultane` ously and fiXedly adjusting the .rear end ofa. wheeled frame, and more especially anagricultural implement frame, suchas a planter,V

guano: distributor, cultivator and the like, and also for regulating the depth of cu-t of the earth working implements.- carried thereby,

also for lifting the implements entirely out of the ground. when it is desired to transport the frame from oneplacel to another,

Another object of my invention is to prog vide a Vwheeled frame with elevation adjusting means which. can becritically adjusted to suitlthef use to which the frame 1s applied.

Another objectof my invention is to pro- .videy adjusting means for the. rear end of an agricultural frame inl which both sides of the frame are adjusted to the same extent and at the same time.V Y

Some of the objects o-f my invention being stated, a brief description of ther` various figures in the drawings will now follow, vin w iichf Figure? 1 is a perspective view of a guano distributor equipped with my depth regulating` and lift mechanism ,i

Figure 2v is a plan view of the rear portion ofthe frame shown in Figure 1, showing my depth regulating and lift mechanism and associated parts;

Figure Sis an enlarged detail planview o-f the depth regulating means;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional enlarged detail View of the structurey set forth i-n Figure 3; y

Figure 5 isav plan View of the. structure for holding the lower endsofthe adjusting lever rigidly to the wheel. frames Figure 6 is a. side:A perspective of FigureV with. the members; 24.- and. 25 removed ;v.

Figure 7 isa cross-sectional view taken along the line 747 Figure 5, looking' in the direction. indicated by the arrows..

A briefdescriptiorr ofV they drawings havingk been given, a detailed description. of the same will now fol-low which like .refer- 1926. Serial No.- 121,376.

ence characters indicate.corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

The numerals 10 and 11 indicate the sidemembers of a substantially V-sh-aped frame which has a ground wheel' 12 secured to brackets 13 near the front end thereof. Hair olle members 14 and 15v are securedv to the frame near the front end thereof and arel secured to upright members-16` and 17, which members are secured at their lower ends to the rear portionsof the side members 10 and 1'1.

Secured to the rear side portions ofthe members 10 and 1.1 are `the cultiva-tor arms which are composed of the n'iembers 18,19,`

18" and 19", which members slant rearward, downward and. forward and have plow members 20 on'v their lower ends.

I have shown a hopper 21 andy associatedV parts secured to the frame, though-I desire it to be understood that the structure set forth iny thisinvention may appropriately be applied to any agricultural implement frame.

Secured to the side portionsv of the cultivator arms are themembers 24, 25, 24,y and 25 by means ofthe bolts 2T and' 27". The cultivator arms arey each composed of two members, and. between the. arms 1,8 and 19' are secured the members 34. and 35, the mem.- ber 34. having an approximately vertical groove inV its inner face for the reception ofV the. prong 30 off the leverr 31. 4The bolt 2f? penetrates the members 24. andv 25,. the cultivator arm members 18 and. 19 and also the hole 32V in. the forward. ends ofI the members 34 and 35,. making a pivotal connection with the cultivator arm members 18. and 19'. A. bolt 33 penetrates, the centra-lf kportions of the members; l24 and 25 andV also the central portions ofA the members 34 and. 35, and also the lower. portion ofthe pron-g 30h, holding thesey parts. rigidly together, thus lforming a connection withv the adjusting lever in which-'there is no lost motion, and which insures a perfect adjustment of the depth of cut of the earthworking members mounted on the frame. As is apparent from the drawings,l especially in Figures 2, 5 and 7, it. will. be seen. that the prongs of the lever are held rigidly in place aty all times.

rlihe members 34 and projectv rearwardly and have portionswhich. serve as Scrapers `for the wheel 37. The members 24 and 25. extend rearward. after being secured to the portions 34vr and 35 and. have. al hole in their rear ends for the reception of the bolt 36.T

all

fili

I special wrenchr 52.

on which a suitable journal bearing is mounted on which rotates the wheel 37.

The detailed description oi one ot the wheel mounts will equally apply te the other' wheel mount, the reference characters for the other wheel mount being primed to indicate corresponding parts, the only ditference in the parts being that the 'forward portions of the members 24, 25, 34 and 3:"2 are curved in the opposite direction 'from that shown in Figure 5, and also with the difference in that the member has the groove therein for the reception oi the pren 302L of the lever 31.

Secured between the handle 'members 14 and 15 are the crosspieces 40 :1nd,41, and secured near the medial portions otthese crosspieces are the longitudinally entending members 42 and 43, which are placed some distance apart, leaving a slot 44 therei between. The adjusting lever 31. is adapted to operate in this slot 44.

Near the uwer end of the member 42 there is secured the catch 45 which projects into the slot y44, but does not project all the way across the lsaid slot, roem peinty j allowed tor the lever 31 to pass this catcn when desired by the operator. Near the lower end of the slot 44 is shown the adjusting means. This means consists oi the member 45 which has the lug 47 projecting into the slot 44 about the same distance that the member 45 projects. The member 46 also has the projection 48 which extends across the yslot 44 and fits against the lower side of the member 43. This prog jection 48 is held against the lower'taces ot' the members 42 and 43 by means of the bolt 49 and associated parts. These associated parts comprise the washer 50, nut 51, wrench 52 and the pin 53. The washer 50 is loosely mounted on the bolt 49 and fits against the vupper iaces of the members 42 and 43, while the nut 51 threadably engages the bolt 49 and is adapted to be screwed onto the bolt by means of the The bolt 49 is extended and has a Cotter' pin or other suitable means placed therein, so the wrenchcan he lifted from the nut y50 and re-inserted onthe. nut without entirely removing it from the kbolt .49. ln this way the wrench is never lost plows 2O may be regulated. It is readilyA seen that due tothe rigid and is always with the adjusting device 'when it is desired to adjust the same along the groove 44.

Vrlhe lever 31 projects vupwardly through the groove or slot- 44, and when placed in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 will raise the plows Q() out of the ground simultaneously, and by adjustment oi? the member 4G along the slot 44 the depth ot cut of the connection between the pivoted arms andthe lever prongs 30a and 80h, together with the peculiar iorm of; pivotal connection of ythe wheel carrying arms, and also to the secure manner in which the upper portion of the lever 31 is adjusted and heldthat there is no lost motion in any direction, resulting in a very substantial adjustable framework.

lhe method of operation of my device is as follows: l

For transport position the lever 31 is placed iu the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the plows 20`raised entirely oli the ground, the. wheels 37, 37 and 12 supporting the trame.

lt it is desired to let the plows 2O deep into the ground the Vadjusting mechanism composed of the member 46 and associated parts is secured near the cross piece 40 and yhe lever Zi11is pressed over against the member 423 and then iorward in the slot and is lodged againstthe projection 47 at whatever position the same may be adjusted. is adjusted by securing the adjusting mechanism'4ifl and associated partent the desired position along the slot- 44. When it isl desired to raise the plows 2O entirelyout ot the ground the above described operation is reversed, the leverv Sl'being pressed over against Vthe member 43 and out of engagement with the lug 47 `and is pulled rearwardly andplaced behind the projection 45 on the member 45, where it is'held iirmly in transport position. Y f

lt is thus seen that I have devised a depth gauge and lifting device for trames 'in which the depth of cut or' earthworking implements carried by the trame may becritically and easily adjusted by a single operation.

l desire it to be understood that although speciiic terms are employed, they are used inV a generic and descriptive sense, and not for purposes of limitation, and although l have shown and described the invention in connection with an agricultural implement trame, ll'desire it to befuuderstood that myy depth gauge and litt mechanism may be used on any wheeled trame, the scope of the invention being set forth in theappended claims.

1. Means for raising and lowering the rear end of an implement frame comprising wheel iframes secured to the rear end of the implement frame, a lever r-igidly attached tothe wheel trames, adjustable means associated withthe lever for adjusting the height-of the Ytrame with respect to the wheels, said adjust' able means comprising two spaced longitudinally disposed bars between which the lever is adapted to slide, and -means adjustably mounted on the spaced bars for holding the lever in adjusted position. 'Y

2. In a depth regulating means for imrlhe depth of cut of the plows 20 ine lili

l lll plement frames, a wheel mounted for rotar tion at the front end of the iframe, pivoted arms secured to the rear end of the frame, wheels mounted for rotation in the free ends o't the pivoted arms, a forked lever having its forks rigidly secured to the pivoted arms, a longitudinally disposed guideway secured to the 'frame above the pivoted arms, said guideway being adapted to receive the free end of thev forked lever, and adjustable means secured in the guideway for adjusting the position of the lever.

3. In an implement frame, a ground wheel mounted at the front end of the trame, a pair of earthworking implements secured to the rear end of the frame, a pair of arms pivotally secured to the rear end of the trame, a. lever secured to both of these pivoted arms, a pair of handle members secured to the implement trame, a longitudinal guideway secured between the handle members, the upper portion of the lever being adapted to lit into the guideway, means in the guideway for holding the lever in fixed position, and adjustable means located inthe guideway adapted to be adjusted along the guideway to hold the lever in any desired position.

Il. In an agricultural implement frame, a pair of earthworking implement carrying arms secured to the rear end of the frame, a wheel for supporting-the front end of the iframe, arms pivotally secured to the implement carrying arms, wheels rotatably mounted in the free ends of said arms, an inverted Y -shaped lever rigidly secured to thepivoted arms, a guideway mounted in the trame above the implement carrying arms, yadjustable means secured in the guideway adapted to hold the free end of the lever and to adjust the height of the frame with respect to the wheels.

5. In an agricultural implement frame, a ground wheel rotatably mounted near the front portion of the frame, handle members secured to the frame, earthworking implements carried by the rear portion ot the trame, wheel carrying arms pivotally secured to the rear portion of the frame, a lever,

rigidly secured to said arms and projecting upwardly between the handle members, longitudinal members spaced apart from each other and secured to the handle members leaving a slot between the said longitudinal members in which the-upper end of the lever is adapted to move, fixed means for holding the lever in position in the slot, and adjustable means for holding the lever in adjusted position in the slot, said lever being adapted to automatically move forward in the slot when released from the irst holding means.

6. In an agri-'cultural implement frame, la ground wheel secu-red to the front end 'of the frame, wheel carrying pivoted arms secured to the rear portion of the frame, members secured in the Wheel carrying arms for rigid'- l( holding' a lever, said members comprising fiat surfaces iitting against each otherVa groove in yone of the members, the said groove being adapted to receive the lower end of an adjusting lever, a bolt penetrating.

the members and the end of the lever and holding the said parts in rigid position.

7. In an. agricultural implement frame, supports Afor the rear end ofthe iframe, lever means rigidly connecting the rear supports together, means on the frame adapted to cooperate with the lever means Jfor simultaneously, positively and rigidly adjusting the height or the trame above the rear supports, said adjusting means comprising spaced longitudinal bars, a lug member adjustable along the bars andprojecting into the path oit the lever which is adapted to slide between the bars, and a fixed lug secured on one ot the bars and extending into the spacev between the bars, said Xed lug being adapted to hold the lever when the frame is in elevated position. l

8. In an implement trame a wheel for supporting the front end of the frame, arms pivotally secured to the rear end ot the frame, wheels rotatably secured in the pivoted arms, an inverted forked lever rigidly secured to the pivoted arms, a guideway secured to the implement frame adapted to receive the free end o1 the lever, means.

for holding the lever in liXed position'in the guideway, means for holding the lever in adjusted position in the guideway, being adapted to automatically return to adjusted position when not held in fixed position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have signed my name to this specilication.

EUGENE M. COLE. y 

